Modern Written Arabic: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Arabic grammar. The Grammar presents a fresh and accessible description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in contemporary written Arabic. Data is taken from actual written Arabic, both literary and non-literary, observed or published since 1990. Sources range from street signs to high literature. This comprehensive work is an invaluable resource for anyone at the intermediate to advanced level, from students through to teachers and linguists. It is ideal for use in colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Arabic grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations. Features include: detailed treatment of the common grammatical structures and parts of speech extensive exemplification particular attention to areas of confusion and difficulty Arabic-English parallels highlighted throughout the book an extensive index and numbered paragraphs for ease-of-reference Elsaid Badawi was Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics at the American University in Cairo. Michael G. Carter is Honorary Professor at Sydney University. Adrian Gully is an Independent Professional Interpreter and Translator. Maher Awad is Senior Lecturer of Arabic at Rice University.

Modern Written Arabic: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Arabic grammar. The Grammar presents a fresh and accessible description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in contemporary written Arabic. Data is taken from actual written Arabic, both literary and non-literary, observed or published since 1990. Sources range from street signs to high literature. This comprehensive work is an invaluable resource for anyone at the intermediate to advanced level, from students through to teachers and linguists. It is ideal for use in colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Arabic grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations. Features include: detailed treatment of the common grammatical structures and parts of speech extensive exemplification particular attention to areas of confusion and difficulty Arabic-English parallels highlighted throughout the book an extensive index and numbered paragraphs for ease-of-reference Elsaid Badawi was Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics at the American University in Cairo. Michael G. Carter is Honorary Professor at Sydney University. Adrian Gully is an Independent Professional Interpreter and Translator. Maher Awad is Senior Lecturer of Arabic at Rice University.

The study focuses on a famous work by a mediaeval Arab grammarian who was once called the 'second Sibawayhi' (the pioneer of Arabic grammatical studies).

This study focuses on a famous work by a mediaeval Arab grammarian who was once called the "second Sibawayhi" (the pioneer of Arabic grammatical studies). Mughni l-Labib is an encyclopaedic work of immense richness, in which Ibn-Hisham (d.761/1359) analyzes the major syntactic elements of the Arabic language in a manner which has often been described as unique. What sets this work apart in particular from previous grammatical treatises of the mediaeval period is Ibn-Hisham's keen awareness of some of the semantic aspects of Arabic, many of which would normally fall within the domain of the rhetorician. In the Mughni he looks closely at the relationship between form and meaning, particularly in exegetical issues, in an attempt to further an understanding of the sacred work in the form of the Qur'an. This present study attempts to determine why the Mughni has always been held in such high esteem. It also assesses its significance in a wider social and historical context by demonstrating that Arabic grammar was a discipline that could never be studied in isolation without due consideration being given to the interrelated Islamic science of jurisprudence.

This book offers a unique analysis of letter-writing in the Middle Islamic period. Writing letters was an important component of intellectual life at that time, telling us much about the cultural history of pre-modern Islamic society. Focusing on the notion of the power of the pen, the author looks at the wider context of epistolography, relating it to the power structures of Islamic society in that period. He also attempts to identify some of the similarities and differences between Muslim modes of letter-writing and those of western cultures. Readers will find detailed explanations of how letter-writing in that culture was much more than a vehicle of artistic prose. They will also learn about the conflict between writing and orality in Islamic society during the pre-Modern period. The author ? evaluates the background to letter-writing as the principal representation of state documents and communication; ? takes a close look at the literary principles employed in that process; ? considers the important social and intellectual role of the secretary and how he fitted into the power structure of Islamic society during this period; ? argues that the voluminous collections of letters, written mainly in artistic prose, can be classified as an epistolary genre in their own right; ? shows that Islamic letter-writing was very culture-specific One of the strengths of this book is that it is based on a wide range of primary Arabic sources, thus reflecting the broader epistemological importance of letter-writing in Islamic society.